Government spending per capita in Iceland
Iceland: Government spending per capita was 39,385 current international-$ in 2024. ▲ Rising
Government spending per capita in Iceland, 2007–2024
Source: OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in current international-$.
Analysis
The most recent figure for government spending per capita in Iceland is 39,385 current international-$, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 18 years on record.
The figure is up 4.3% on the previous year and up 83.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, government spending per capita in Iceland peaked at 39,385 current international-$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 18,590 current international-$, in 2007.
That places Iceland 5th out of 43 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 18 years of available data.
Government spending per capita in Iceland, year by year
| Year | current international-$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 18,590 current international-$ | — |
| 2008 | 27,733 current international-$ | +49.2% |
| 2009 | 22,445 current international-$ | -19.1% |
| 2010 | 19,628 current international-$ | -12.6% |
| 2011 | 21,133 current international-$ | +7.7% |
| 2012 | 20,486 current international-$ | -3.1% |
| 2013 | 20,775 current international-$ | +1.4% |
| 2014 | 21,464 current international-$ | +3.3% |
| 2015 | 21,814 current international-$ | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 25,326 current international-$ | +16.1% |
| 2017 | 25,150 current international-$ | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 25,698 current international-$ | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 27,008 current international-$ | +5.1% |
| 2020 | 29,485 current international-$ | +9.2% |
| 2021 | 31,438 current international-$ | +6.6% |
| 2022 | 36,488 current international-$ | +16.1% |
| 2023 | 37,775 current international-$ | +3.5% |
| 2024 | 39,385 current international-$ | +4.3% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 39,385 current international-$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 26,582 current international-$, 1.5× the median. (38 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 39,385 current international-$ is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 27,928 current international-$, 1.4× the median. (30 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Government spending per capita in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | +49.2% | 18,590 current international-$ | 27,733 current international-$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 22,923 current international-$ | 18,590 current international-$ | 27,733 current international-$ | 3 |
| 2010s | 22,848 current international-$ | 19,628 current international-$ | 27,008 current international-$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 34,914 current international-$ | 29,485 current international-$ | 39,385 current international-$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
More reference data data for Iceland
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0288 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.0708 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0001 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.1854 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0964 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.062 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.2576 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.7664 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.0005 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is government spending per capita in Iceland?
- Government spending per capita in Iceland was 39,385 current international-$ in 2024, according to OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest government spending per capita recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 39,385 current international-$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest government spending per capita recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was 18,590 current international-$ in 2007.
- How does Iceland rank for government spending per capita?
- Iceland ranks 5th out of 43 countries with data for 2024.
- Is government spending per capita rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 83.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2026) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Government spending per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total amount of money the general government spends per capita. This data is adjusted for differences in living costs between countries but not for inflation.